Andar meaning ¨to be¨ or ¨to become¨ ?

Question

Hi all,

Es posible que andar quiera decir también estar?

Can the verb andar mean simply ¨to be¨ or maybe ¨to become¨ in some contexts? I´ve seen I think two examples where that seemed to be the case lately, one of which I´ll paste in below. If so, can anyone fill me in why one would use if over just estar or poner or some such? Or have I got it completely wrong, and it means something completely different?

p.ej.

Sabes ya me andaba animando a ir a ver a mi hermana.

Any insight appreciated. Estoy feliz escuchar cualquier ideas.

Answer 1

Sabes ya me andaba animando a ir a ver a mi hermana

You know that i was excited to go and see my sister

Thanks! Way better translation than mine - rodneyp, Mar 20, 2013

Your Welcome - Rey_Mysterio, Mar 20, 2013

btw what was your translation? - Rey_Mysterio, Mar 20, 2013

Thanks much Rey, that helps a lot, along with your other example. - rogspax, Mar 20, 2013

your welcome rogspax - Rey_Mysterio, Mar 20, 2013

Animado ? - albert-fabrik-, Mar 21, 2013

Answer 2

Here's something I found. I hope it's useful, but I'm not sure.

The present progressive tense in Spanish, most commonly formed with estar plus the present participle may also be formed with ir, andar, or venir in place of estar. Ir used in this construction indicates a gradual process. Andar, like ir, indicates a gradual action. Unlike ir, however, andar connotes the lack of a specific, definite goal and thus adds the idea of "wandering about" and may take on a pejorative meaning of doing something one should not be doing.

That is super helpful swampy. Thanks. 2 extra levels of detail whicb will help a bunch. Thx. - rogspax, Mar 21, 2013

Answer 3

Como andas (estás) compa?

How are you?

Thanks Ray. - rogspax, Mar 20, 2013

de nada - Rey_Mysterio, Mar 20, 2013

Oops, Rey, not Ray. - rogspax, Mar 21, 2013

Answer 4

I've not seen that before myself. But then again I'm no expert.

I don't think this actually would be translated as "to become". This is a figurative, not literal, translation of your example:

You know that I've been running around lately really excited to about going to see my sister.

Sabes ya me andaba animando a ir a ver a mi hermana.

Can you post the second example? And I'm very curious to hear other opinions

yes i agree i have never heard of this either great question - jessicamccall117, Mar 20, 2013

btw what was your translation to english going to be? just curious - Rey_Mysterio, Mar 20, 2013

Thanks Jessica. Rodney, I can´t recall the first example, I´m sorry to say. It´s usually when I see something the 2nd or 3rd time in short order that it sticks in my head a bit to ask, but by then, I may have forgotten what the first one was. - rogspax, Mar 20, 2013

And I too thought initially it might be more like your first translation, but some googling left me w/ the vague idea that it really was maybe more like Be than run-walk, thus me wanting to seek clarification here. Rey makes me think that it is just ´be´ - rogspax, Mar 20, 2013

Answer 5

dDi he give you any examples? - rodneyp

Examples:

"¿Qué andas haciendo?" (What are you doing?)

"Ando bien mal." (I´m really sick)

"Ando sin feria el día de hoy" (I don´t have any money today)

The use of Andar in these cases might be regional, but it´s very common in Mexico.

Ah, yeah, OK. I had forgotten about those. Thanks. - rodneyp, Mar 21, 2013

+10 rep for you! I still can't believe I forgot about those. - rodneyp, Mar 21, 2013

Answer 6

Thank again all,

So, I did get to talk to my prof last night and he confirmed andar can often be used like estar, and echoing swampy's citation, mentioned it was a bit (but not much) vaguer, and less goal-oriented, and a bit more common in past tense than present, but is indeed used very much like estar. He, being somewhat older, and quite quite old school, does not care for it, and gave me one of his "le recomiendo que use estar" looks and tones.

Thanks again.

Roger

dDi he give you any examples? - rodneyp, Mar 21, 2013

Answer 7

So using the info from swampy, could this be "you now know it was exciting to me to go see my sister"?

Thanks noetel. I think Rey_m's response has it. I have more context, and now would say it is like I am excited or I have been getting excited. - rogspax, Mar 21, 2013

Answer 8

Could this old and wise proverb contribute ?

" Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres "

" Tell me who you aquaint ( with whom you go about ) and I shall tell you who you are "

Or am I just confusing the issue ? ¡ buena suerte con su iniciativa !

Good question. If it´s go about, then it´s just the normal use of andar. But if it´s to 'be' then it *is* more like the example where andar can be like andar. - rogspax, Mar 21, 2013